Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight vs Split Fiction

Both are licensed co-op-friendly action adventures, but only one demands a partner — and only one makes you wrestle with DRM.

Updated 8d ago

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight cover
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight 8.4/10 Strong

Best LEGO Batman yet if you can stomach Denuvo DRM and repetitive Catwoman collectibles.

Split Fiction cover
Split Fiction 9.1/10 Mighty

A fresh mechanic every ten minutes and a sci-fi/fantasy split worth two playthroughs — the best co-op game Hazelight has made, but there's no solo mode at all.

By the numbers

Prices checked Sep 9; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.

Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 9.

Measure Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Split Fiction
Value Split Fiction wins on value
Price now $58.04 −17% · GameBillet $32.49 −35% · EA Store
All-time low $45.85 $32.49
Cost / hour $4.50/hr $58.04 · 13 h main story $2.37/hr $32.49 · 14 h main story
Off its low +27% low was Jul 2026 At its low low was Jun 2026
Main story 13 h 14 h
Health Split Fiction wins on player health
Steam reviews 96% 14k reviews 97% 127k reviews
Recent reviews 93% 314 votes · vs 96% lifetime 95% 743 votes · vs 97% lifetime
Peak players 2,005 Aug 2026 · ↓ 15% MoM 12,918 Aug 2026 · ↓ 25% MoM
Launch peak 6% of May 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 5% of Mar 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026
All-time peak 33,053 May 2026 258,641 Mar 2025
Support
Last patch 18 months ago
Patch cadence 0 in last 90 days
Steam Deck Platinum Platinum

Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
May 2026 – Aug 2026
Split Fiction
Mar 2025 – Aug 2026

What players say

Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

Love

Celebration of Batman's entire history is the hook 100-hour fans rave about, with the Arkham Asylum level as the standout.

Struggle with

Collectible repetition in Catwoman side missions is the friction even platinum chasers flag, alongside Denuvo launch failures.

from our June 2026 verdict

Split Fiction

Love

The constant mechanic rotation is the hook — every chapter drops a fresh twist, and long-time players say the sci-fi/fantasy blend keeps both playthroughs lively.

Struggle with

A few puzzles miss and require trial-and-error, but the occasional stumble is easy to forgive next to the near-constant inventiveness.

from our August 2026 verdict

Key differences

Partner requirement
Lego Batman can be played solo or with a friend, no second player mandatory.
Split Fiction has no single-player mode at all — a partner is required for every second.
Mechanic variety
Lego Batman sticks to the usual LEGO beat-em-up loop with collectible hunting.
Split Fiction swaps in a fresh mechanic every ten minutes, jumping between sci-fi and fantasy.
DRM and patching
Lego Batman shipped with Denuvo server checks, saw 0 patches in the last 90 days, and retains 96% positive Steam reviews.
Split Fiction had no DRM backlash, also 0 patches in 90 days, and holds 97% positive reviews with a 5%-of-launch monthly peak.

Which one is for you?

Pick Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight if

  • You want to play solo or with a friend without mandatory co-op
  • You're a Batman fan who knows deep cuts from comics and films
  • You don't mind Denuvo online checks and repetitive LEGO collectibles

Pick Split Fiction if

  • You have a dedicated partner for couch co-op every session
  • You loved It Takes Two and want Hazelight's latest mechanic-swapping ride
  • You prefer a game with no solo mode and mixed-skill pair support

Bottom line

Pick Split Fiction if you have a reliable co-op partner and want constant mechanical surprises; pick Lego Batman if you need solo play or can't stomach a partner requirement, even with Denuvo attached.

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